The Atlanta Falcons' interest in Rex Ryan is no secret. He successfully navigated his first interview, earning himself a second look from the Falcons brass. And if there's a trump card Ryan may play as he battles it out with the other candidates, it's that he has extensive head coaching experience.
With head coaching experience comes a reputation. If anyone can speak to your abilities, it's the players that took the field under your guidance. Bart Scott played under Ryan, and for what it's worth, he thinks the Falcons have found their guy.
"He's brutally honest, but he also lets you know that he has your back," said Scott, now an analyst for CBS. "I mean he was able to come to me and say, 'Hey man, we need you to take a pay cut and you're my guy, so I need to come to you first before I go to L.T. (LaDainian Tomlinson) or Calvin Pace. And if you can't take the cut for me, I'm going to have to make some decisions.' He has the ability to be your friend but also understand that this is a business."
Scott is an interesting personality - some might even call him controversial. But it's a candid review we ought to keep in mind. If there was one thing lacking during the Mike Smith era, it was tenacity. We'd see glimpses of it, or occasionally hear about him getting riled up behind closed doors. But it certainly wasn't overt, and that certainly wasn't his reputation. Ryan is basically the complete opposite. Hopefully this isn't a "be careful what you wish for" scenario, but there's no ambiguity when it comes to Ryan. He is his reputation.
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